Hosta plant named ‘Wu-La-La’

ABSTRACT

Hosta  plant named ‘Wu-La-La’ is a new cultivar with vigorous growth rate, large plant stature; large bluish-green leaves with yellow-green margins and light lavender flowers and with matching bracts, suitable as a potted plant and for the garden.

Botanical classification: Hosta hybrid (Tratt.).

Variety denomination: ‘Wu-La-La’.

STATEMENT REGARDING PRIOR DISCLOSURES UNDER 37 CFR 1.77(b)(6)

The first public disclosure of the claimed plant, in the form of a sale,was made by Walters Gardens, Inc. on May 14, 2018. Prior to that, onDec. 1, 2017 the claimed plant was displayed with a photograph and briefdescription in a website operated by Walters Gardens, Inc., who obtainedthe plant and all information relating thereto, from the inventor. Noplants of Hosta ‘Wu-La-La’ have been sold, in this country or anywherein the world, nor has any disclosure of the new plant been made, morethan one year prior the filing date of this application, and such saleor disclosure within one year was either derived directly or indirectlyfrom the inventor.

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION

The present invention relates to the new and distinct Hosta plant, Hosta‘Wu-La-La’ discovered as a whole plant mutation in a tissue culturedbatch of Hosta ‘Empress Wu’ U.S. Plant Pat. No. 20,774 by the inventorin the Jun. 24, 2013 in the greenhouses of a wholesale perennial nurseryin Zeeland, Mich., USA. The new plant has been successfully asexuallypropagated by division and also by sterile shoot tip tissue culture at anursery in Zeeland, Mich. and in both systems found to be stable andreproduce identical plants that maintain the unique characteristics ofthe original plant.

BRIEF SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION

Hosta ‘Wu-La-La’ differs from ‘Empress Wu’, as well as all other Hostasknown to the applicant. The most similar known Hosta cultivar is ‘WuHoo’ U.S. Plant patent application unknown. ‘Empress Wu’ is solidbluish-green and does not have a lighter yellow margin. ‘Wu Hoo’maintains the bluish green margin longer in the season and the maturemargin color is a deeper green shade of chartreuse. Other similar Hostasinclude: ‘All that Jazz’ (not patented), ‘Eclipse’ U.S. Plant Pat. No24,625, ‘Final Victory’ (not patented), ‘His Honor’ (not patented) and‘Victory’ (not patented). ‘All that Jazz’ has a lighter yellow to creamyyellow leaf margin and more cordate leaf blade. ‘Final Victory’ hasshinier leaves that are lighter green in the center and brighter andlighter yellow on the margins. ‘Victory’ has a thinner, lighteryellowish margin on leaves that are shinier, less glaucous and havelighter green centers. ‘His Honor’ has shorter and broader habit, andthe leaves have fewer vein pairs and more rippling. ‘Eclipse’ has morebluish hue in the foliage and the margin is more yellow, the leaf shapeis more pointed and the leaf margin is more sinuate and the habit isshorter in foliage and flower. ‘All that Jazz’ and ‘Victory’ all havelonger and more arching flower scapes.

There are over 8,300 cultivars listed on The American Hosta Societyregistry website. Hosta ‘Wu-La-La’ differs from these and allunregistered cultivars known to the inventor in the following combinedtraits:

-   -   1. Large foliage starting off with slight glaucous surface and        becoming dull to slightly shiny on top.    -   2. Early variegation has chartreuse margin and the margin        becomes brighter through the season.    -   3. Very large landscape stature.    -   4. Tightly compact light lavender flowers on short scapes just        above foliage.    -   5. Each flower and bud is subtended by a large bract of a        matching light lavender color.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

The photographs of the new plant demonstrate the overall appearance ofthe mature plant, including the unique traits, grown in a partiallyshaded trial garden at a wholesale perennial nursery in Zeeland, Mich.The colors are as accurate as reasonably possible with colorreproductions. Ambient light spectrum, source, direction and temperaturemay cause the appearance of minor variation in color.

FIG. 1 shows a five-year-old plant in a landscape setting near the endof the flowering season.

FIG. 2 shows a close-up of the flower scape.

FIG. 3 shows a close-up of the top of the leaf with marginal variegationand intermediate colors.

FIG. 4 shows a close-up of the back of the leaf with marginalvariegation and other colors.

DETAILED BOTANICAL DESCRIPTION

The following descriptions and color references are based on the 2015edition of The Royal Horticultural Society Colour Chart except wherecommon dictionary terms are used. The new plant, Hosta ‘Wu-La-La’, hasnot been observed under all possible environments. The phenotype mayvary slightly with different environmental conditions, such astemperature, light, fertility, moisture and specimen maturity, butwithout any change in the genotype. The following observations and sizedescriptions are of a five-year-old plant in a partially-shaded trialgarden in Zeeland, Mich.

-   Botanical classification: Hosta hybrid;-   Parentage: Whole plant mutation of Hosta ‘Empress Wu’;-   Propagation method: By sterile laboratory tissue culture division    and garden division;-   Growth rate: Rapid;-   Crop time: Summer growing 8 to 9 weeks to finish in a one-liter    container; Time to initiate roots from tissue culture about two    weeks;-   Plant description:    -   -   Plant shape and habit.—Hardy, herbaceous, upright as            juvenile and mounded in maturity, forming perennial with            basal rosette leaves, usually bilateral and radially            symmetrical, spreading by short rhizomes.        -   Roots.—Normal, fleshy, lightly branching, cream-colored in            normal soil, nearest RHS 164D.        -   Plant size.—Foliage height of a mature plant at flowering is            about 78.0 cm tall; width of plant at the widest point is            approximately 114 cm at the widest point; flower scapes to            about 100.0 cm tall.-   Foliage description:    -   -   Leaf blade.—Cordate leaf base with acute apex, mostly            bilaterally symmetrical, entire margins, mostly flat blades            with impressed veins; width to length ratio of about 1:1.3;            largest leaves about 35.5 cm long and 26.0 cm wide; average            about 32 cm long and 24 cm wide increasing with maturity            age; margin width to about 20.0 mm; 17 pairs of major            parallel veins; top surface begins season slightly glaucous            becoming dull matte surfaced to slightly shiny, and bottom            surface is glaucous and tends to stay through most of the            season.        -   Blade color.—Mature adaxial center more glaucous than RHS            136A, adaxial margin nearest RHS N143D, intermediate colors            between margin and center comprising between RHS 122B and            RHS 122C and blend between RHS 138C and RHS 133C; mature            abaxial center nearest RHS 122B with a glaucous bloom,            margin nearest blend of RHS 146D and RHS 145A, intermediate            zone comprising nearest RHS blend between RHS 122B and RHS            122C; spring and expanding adaxial center between RHS 138B            and RHS 138C, adaxial margin blend between RHS 143C and RHS            138C; spring and expanding abaxial center nearest RHS 146C            and margin nearest RHS 146D.        -   Veins.—17 Pairs of major parallel veins, deeply impressed;            same color as surrounding top and bottom leaf surfaces.        -   Petioles.—To about 50 cm long, about 2.8 cm wide measured at            7 cm above soil line.        -   Petiole color.—Adaxial and abaxial petiole margin nearest            RHS 145C with a slight glaucous surface; adaxial center            nearest inside of petiole lighter than RHS 138C, abaxial            center nearest RHS 138D.-   Flower description:    -   -   Buds.—One day prior to opening clavate with bluntly acute            apex and longer thin base; nearest RHS 91D near base and RHS            92D at middle and apex; about 3.8 cm long, and 7.0 mm wide            at the broadest portion, tube to 3.0 mm diameter.        -   Bud color.—Nearest RHS 91D at base and RHS 92D at middle and            apex.        -   Flowers.—28 to 36 per scape; tightly arranged with about 6            to 8 flowers per 1.0 cm centimeter of scape in some areas            and spaced 1 cm apart in other areas; funnelform; about 2.8            cm wide and 4.4 cm long, (distal flowers opening smaller);            remain open for a normal period, usually one to two days on            or cut from plant; scapes remain effective from mid-June            into mid-July in Zeeland, Mich.; no detectable fragrance.        -   Tepal.—Two identical sets of three fused at the basal two            thirds; acute apex; margins entire; approximately 37.0 mm            long and 8.0 mm wide (outer set) and 9.0 mm wide (inner            set).        -   Tepal color.—Abaxial between RHS 76C and RHS 76D; adaxial            outer set lighter than RHS 76D on margin and center nearest            RHS 76C with veins nearest, adaxial inner set lighter than            RHS 76D on margin, center nearest RHS 76C and veins nearest            RHS 76A.        -   Pedicel.—Cylindrical; glaucous; approximately 13.0 mm long,            1.5 mm wide; attitude mostly outwardly.        -   Pedicel color.—Between RHS 138C and RHS 138B with slight            violet undertones or nearest RHS 91C.        -   Peduncle.—Cylindrical; glaucous; usually one per division,            erect to slightly arching, about 10.0 mm diameter at base,            average 94.0 cm tall.        -   Peduncle color.—Nearest RHS N138B.        -   Gynoecium.—Single; superior; about 38.0 mm long.        -   Style.—About 38.0 mm long, 1 mm diameter, curled upward at            distal 1.0 cm; color base nearest RHS 145D, nearest RHS            NN155D in distal 12 mm.        -   Stigma.—1.5 mm diameter; puberulent; color nearest RHS            NN155D.        -   Ovary.—Fluted longitudinally; ellipsoidal; to about 5.0 mm            long and 2.8 mm across; color nearest RHS 146D.        -   Androecium.—Six.        -   Filaments.—Six; about 0.5 mm in diameter and 33.0 mm long,            curving upward the last 1.0 cm; nearest RHS NN155D.        -   Anthers.—Oblong; dorsifixed; longitudinal; about 4.0 mm long            and 1.5 mm wide; color back between RHS N187C and lighter            than RHS N77D, front between RHS 177A and RHS 177B.        -   Pollen.—Elliptical, less than 0.1 mm long, nearest RHS 13B.        -   Bracts.—Subtending one or more flowers; lanceolate; widest            at base and tapering to acute apex; truncate sessile base;            protruding upward about 80 degree angle away from scape;            average about 17.0 mm long and 7.0 mm wide in middle;            decreasing distally and increasing proximally in both length            and width.        -   Bract color.—Apical one-third nearest RHS 146B, basal            two-thirds with pale tinting of nearest RHS 76B.        -   Fruit.—Tri-dehiscent capsule, about 2.8 cm long and 6.0 mm            wide; variable in color at dehiscence including: RHS 164B            with more green or more yellow.        -   Seeds.—Single winged drupe, about 10 mm long and 3 mm wide;            about 30 per pod; black nearest RHS 202A.        -   Disease resistance.—Slug feeding on mature plants has not            been noticed. Other disease or pest resistance beyond that            common to Hostas has not been observed. The plant grows best            with light fertilizer, plenty of moisture and adequate            drainage, but is able to tolerate some flooding and drought            when mature. Hardiness at least from USDA zone 3 through 9,            and other disease resistance is typical of that of other            Hostas.

I claim:
 1. A new and distinct ornamental Hosta plant named ‘Wu-La-La’as herein described and illustrated.